Driving Out The Darkness
by PandoraxDestiny
Summary: He had always been hell-bent on revenge; until she came along. She entered his stone cold heart and changed it. If he was a Shadow, then she was his Light; the Light that would guide him on the dark path he had chosen to walk. KurapikaxOC
1. Chapter 1: An X Inevitable X Meeting

**Driving Out The Darkness**

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**A/N:**This is actually a ReaderXKurapika fanfiction that I have on Wattpad, but the guidelines on this site doesn't allow second person, so I changed it to third person. If you'd like to read the original, the link to my Wattpad account should be in my profile ^^ This is dedicated to my friend who is a huge fan of Kurapika (I'm personally a fan of Killua).

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**Disclaimer:**Hunter X Hunter belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro

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**_'Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.' – Martin Luther King Jr._**

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**Chapter 1: An X Inevitable X Meeting**

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Nydia second guessed herself as she stood in front of the huge manor. In comparison, she seemed like an ant. She gulped visibly and wondered, _'What am I doing here again?'_

Ah, that's right; she was here because you were short on money and were desperate for a job. The inheritance left by her parents was slowly dwindling and almost gone. She needed a job to support herself.

She had taken the Hunter Examination two years back, but had never really done anything associated with it. The only reason she did it was because her parents had just died and she figured she needed some money, and not to mention, being a Hunter offered quite a lot of privileges. But that was before she found out about the inheritance left behind by her deceased parents. Nydia had been living off that for the last few years. Before she had learned of the inheritance, she had been introduced to _nen_ and had been trained under an experienced teacher by the name of Takenaka Hiroki. Who would've thought that all that she did would come in handy?

Nydia had found an agency after investigating for some time and the woman in charge of there had recommended to her someone that was looking for bodyguards. It had seemed simple enough and she had wanted to be a Contract Hunter when she first started out, not to mention, the pay was pretty good. Scratch that. It was _really_ good. Standing in front of the mansion, she could see why.

Unconsciously, she touched one of the twin pistols that rested against her hip, held there by a belt; her other one feeling the curved knife that was strapped against your thigh. It was a Karambit, and it fitted her purpose perfectly. Nydia performed a weapons check mentally, going through all the concealed weapons that she carried on her person.

_'Hidden dagger in my boots? Check. Senbons secured to my arm? Check. Ring with a blade? Check. Hairpin that's recently been sharpened? Mhmm, everythings set. Now all that's left to do is enter the threshold!'_

Despite telling herself that, she still felt hesitant to intrude the place. What if it was a trap? Even with all her weaponry, she'd probably still get herself killed. And what if she wasn't recruited? Surely there would be other applicants way better than herself who also came to apply, especially with the pay that was being offered. Before her thoughts could get any more out of hand, Nydia slapped her cheeks, feeling the sting from the self-inflicted move and shook her head, shaking those thoughts out of her head at the same time. Beside her, a whine could be heard. She looked down at the husky next to her who was nudging your leg. Noticing that it got her attention, the husky stopped and gave her a meaningful look. Nydia gave a sigh. "Yeah, I know, Damon." After her mental conflict with herself, she stripped herself from those thoughts. And with an unwavering gleam in her eyes, she raised her hands and pressed the bell.

_Ding Dong._

"My name is Nydia, I come from the agency."

The gates slid open and she entered. Nydia heard growling beside her and she glanced and saw ferocious Dobermans snarling at her. Her animal companion returned the favour, but she gestured for him to back down. Instead, she took a step forward and held her hand out. The intimidating canines approached, but she refused to back away. This happened for a couple seconds before the Dobermans came close enough to sniff her hand. Finally deeming her as not a threat, they turned around and waited for their next victim.

Seeing as they had calmed down and left, Nydia continued on her way. Once she reached the entrance to the mansion, she was greeted by a butler. From there, he led her to an elevator and down a hall to a simple white door and gestured to it. "Please wait in there."

He took a step back as she stepped forward and took a deep breath in order to calm herself down. With determined eyes and a serious face, she opened the door.

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Kurapika's eyes were drawn to the opening of the entrance door. It seemed like another applicant for the job had appeared.

He was surprised when the person stepped in together with a large dog and made their appearance. It was a girl; one that was around his age, if not younger. He saw that she carried twin pistols and a curved dagger, but that was about it. She wore denim shorts with thigh-high obsidian sock and mocha-coloured knee-length boots. An olive green drawstring jacket adorned her figure, and she wore a short army green tank top that ended above her stomach. Her hair was done up with a hairpin that glinted in the sunlight that filtered through the doorway. Beige hair framed her face and mahogany eyes twinkled. Black fingerless gloved were worn on her dainty hands. Beside her was a large husky.

Inwardly, he was stunned that such a pretty girl would be in this type of business and wondered what she was doing here; but he quickly dismissed the notion. It was not his business to butt into others; he had nothing to do with it after all. He came back into reality when the door clicked shut behind the girl and he noticed how she seemed kind of lost; probably because she knew none of the people who had gathered. Seeing that nobody was going to take the initiative, Kurapika made his way over to her and caught her attention in the process. Holding out his hand in greeting, he introduced himself, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I'm Kurapika."

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Nydia had taken in her sights quite obviously as she were nervous, intimidated by the aura in the room. Usually she would do it in a more discreet manner like how she was taught by her teacher. If Hiroki-sensei saw her now, she were sure that he would be displeased and retrain her all over again. Just thinking about it made her want to cringe. Hiroki-sensei was a Spartan.

She heard the shuffling of clothes and sound of footsteps drawing near, and she saw a blonde teenage boy making his way over to her.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he began pleasantly. "I'm Kurapika."

He held out his hand and not wanting to be rude, Nydia grasped it and shook hands with him.

_'Wow, he's so pretty…'_ Nydia thought to herself. The blonde – who she now knew to be called 'Kurapika' – stared at her. She weren't sure as to why until she realised she had voiced her thoughts aloud. "I-I mean, hello, I'm Nydia," she stuttered with a blush. _'Great, now I bet he doesn't want to associate with me.'_

Kurapika had an uncomfortable look and tried to cough it off. Awkwardness settled between the both of them and it didn't seem like it was going to disappear anytime soon.

"I apologize for the wait," A voice interrupted, catching both of their attention. "It seems like everyone has arrived, so we will now explain the contract."

The butler who had greeted her was the one speaking, and from behind he brought out a remote. The huge painting beside him of a valley with trees was replaced by that grey fuzz that appeared on television sometimes, before a man with marks beneath his eyes came into sight.

"I'll start by stating the requirements," the man on the screen began. "I won't ask whether you have a license, I'm only interested in whether you can obtain the items we request. There's one month before the auction begins. Before then, you must find one of the items from the list we will provide, and bring it here."

"Here are the data cards," The butler informed, gathering everyone and handing out devices. Nydia held one in her hands, and it turned on with a 'beep'. The first item was a lock of hair from the famous actor Sara. Pressing down on the button again, another 'beep' sounded the next item was revealed; the right arm of a mummy from an Egyptian tomb. After that was an ichthyosis patient's scaly skin; then the skull of a one-horned creature.

Just as she was about to move onto the next item, Nydia heard a sharp intake of breath beside her and from the corner of her eyes, she could see that it was Kurapika. She saw how his eyes had widened, pupils dilating. Nydia was not stupid; she could tell something was wrong with the next item on the list. Glancing back at her own device, with a 'beep' she saw the next item; the eyeballs of a Kuruta.

Nydia may not be brightest crayon in the box, but she could clearly distinguish the link between the scarlet eyes and Kurapika's reaction. Not to mention, she could have sworn she saw a glimpse of red in his eyes. From this, Nydia were able to conclude that Kurapika was a survivor of the Kuruta clan and wore contacts to conceal his heritage.

"Hmm? What's wrong? You look pale," the guy on the other side of the blonde asked. He had a brown pompadour and was shirtless, only wearing a vest which didn't do much to hide his rippling muscles. "Ah, Kuruta eyeballs? A-rank obtainment difficulty. 'Preserve the scarlet hue immediately after death, preferably with the head included.' I've heard rumours that when Kurutas get excited, their eyes turn scarlet-"

"Shut up."

The tone in which Kurapika had spoken with was enough to make Nydia swivel her head around and stare. He didn't look at the delinquent looking man, he only stared straight ahead. She could see the outline of his pupil glowing red. "Not another word."

The man stared at him, right eye slightly twitched in shock at the blonde's reaction before turning his head away with a 'tch'.

"I'll say it again," said the man on the screen, garnering everyone's attention. "You only need to find one item from the list. If you are successful, you will be hired and begin training as a bodyguard and collector; best of luck then."

The screen turned fuzzy again and reverted back to the painting it was originally. Everybody began to leave, preparing for their quest to find one of the listed items. Nydia was going to go too when she saw the Kuruta standing still, deep in thought. His back was rigid and his hands were clenched so hard they were shaking. She pitied him. But no matter how much she wanted to comfort him for his loss, it would definitely not be appreciated as of right now.

"Huh?" She heard the guy from earlier who commented on the Kuruta eyes mumble. "The door won't open."

_'What?!'_ Nydia thought in surprise. She ran up to the door, her loyal companion right on her heels, and tried to turn the knob herself to make sure that he wasn't lying; after all, he had a delinquent like appearance. "He's right! The door's locked!"

"Oh, I forgot to mention one thing," Nydia heard a familiar voice say. "The barest minimum requirement is that you be strong…Strong enough to leave this mansion alive."

It was only pure instinct that saved her. Nydia dove to the side just in time to avoid the explosion which blew the door off its hinges, Damon stood in front of her protectively when she landed, growling. She weren't the only one though. The brunette with a pompadour had also dodged in time, along with a dark-skinned man with his obsidian hair tied up in a ponytail. Through the thick smoke that accumulated in the room, people in black outfits that covered their whole body infiltrated with sharpened swords. Everybody, including her, moved back and got into fighting stances.

Kurapika was at the front of the pack and the chains on his hands clinked as he lifted his hand and a heavy iron ball that linked to the chain on his ring finger made itself visible.

From behind the sword wielders, people armed with guns emerged. They raised the guns and aimed, firing off in rapid succession. Nydia grabbed her curved knife strapped to her thigh and begun deflecting and slicing bullets that came her way. She also spent some of her _nen_ on Damon, causing the canine to enlarge and fight by her side. Beside her, a short person with stubby legs whose gender Nydia couldn't conclude slammed their palm on a table and flipped it over just in time for a shower of bullets in their direction. Before the onslaught of bullets, the dark-skinned man had sought protection from the table just in time too.

On Nydia's other side, a woman with dark pink hair stood calmly, making her wonder what she was up to. Before Nydia knew it, the butler from earlier jumped in front of her with hearts in his eyes and shielded her. Instead of the woman being shot, the butler was filled with countless holes, bleeding profusely from his wounds. Seeing as his purpose was fulfilled, the woman dove to the side. Her indifference towards his life made Nydia sick. How could one just disregard another's life so easily? It made her question what the human race was becoming. Even if he worked for the one who put them in this situation, it did not justify his death. Nydia grit your teeth and gripped the handle of her blade tighter, continuing to deflect the bullets in her direction.

In front of Nydia, Kurapika spun his chain around in a circular motion swiftly until it became a blur. When a bullet strayed, he flung the chain in the direction of that bullet and caught it within the chains' gaps. _'Impressive…'_ she thought. Stunned by his skills, Nydia failed to notice a bullet making its way over to her until the last second. When she did, it just narrowly missed her, but it had made contact nonetheless. In its wake, it had left a shallow cut on her cheek, though it was deep enough to draw blood. Nydia winced as blood swelled and trickled down her cheek, and she quickly swiped the blood away, healing the wound in an instant. It was at times like this that she was glad for her _enhancer_ abilities. _'Ugh, maybe I shouldn't have slacked off; now I've lost my touch. Should've known that this would come back to bite me.'_

She continued to observe Kurapika, though she should've learned from her mistake. Nydia watched in awe as the bullets fell and clattered on the floor. The sword wielders ran towards him and struck. The blonde dodged gracefully, spinning and doing handstands. He crouched low and pushed of his feet, jumping extremely high, and landed on the banister.

As much as she wanted to continue watching him fight, she couldn't. Seeing as how the Kuruta was currently out of their attack range, they moved onto their next victim. Her. A squeak escaped Nydia's lips, quickly followed by a curse as she avoided an attack that would've left her blood spurting all over the place. Nydia whipped out one of her pistols. SHe wouldn't be able to fend them off with just her knife after all. Though she was reluctant to take lives, that didn't apply to those who were attacking her; she didn't hesitate to send a barrage of bullets their way and putting bullets through their heads. Damon rushed at them, tearing the assailant's heads off with his sharp teeth.

"Hmph, you guys did a good job of concealing your presence," complimented the pompadour guy. "But you're too weak."

That Nydia agreed with. They were pretty easy to deal with; the only problem was their numbers. Even if you were skilled, it'd be difficult to deal with so many people at such a close range. Though Nydia were pretty suspicious; what was with the endless rush of fighters in the opposition? She found out when one sneaked up behind her whilst her hands were occupied. She was lucky she noticed, she couldn't sense their presence at all for some reason. Nydia delivered a side-kick which sent the guy flying when she finally realised what was going on. _'Now I see…'_

She glanced up when she saw a shadow cast over her and she saw Kurapika leaping off the chandelier in the direction of the other applicants here for the job. He whipped out a blade and held it to the guy's throat.

"Stop them. I'll give you three seconds."

"One."

"Two."

"O-Okay, I get it." As soon as he said that, the enemies deflated and sank to the floor, the clanging on weapons following soon after.

"What's going?" enquired the pink-haired lady.

"I knew it. So they were made from _nen_," said the buff brunette. "I could tell when I had landed a punch…that I was hitting a human-shaped aura. However…I didn't realise it was his _nen_."

"How did you know?" the offender with curly orange sideburns inquired.

"You were always careful to stand next to others for camouflage," Kurapika explained. Now that he mentioned it… "But when I observed from above, everything became clear. You were the only person not under attack."

There were sounds of surprise, and everybody encouraged the Kuruta to keep going.

"When assailants appeared on the second floor and I jumped onto the chandelier, they just stood there swinging their swords around in a futile attempt to reach me. I assumed that they followed the same order; attack the nearest enemy.

"The assailants were given simple instructions, so their attacks were also simple. However, it would take a skilled _nen_ user to control eleven human-sized auras simultaneously; a _nen_ user who would most likely be a _manipulator_. Given the size of the auras involved, the _manipulator_ had to be within a few meters, which means that the _nen_ user was inside this room."

The pompadour dude whistled and the _manipulator_ with curly side-burns sighed in defeat. "You nailed it."

"My name is Shachmono Tocino," the assailant introduced. "I'm actually a hunter. I work for the boss here, so I will have seniority over you. Now that everything's clear, could you drop the knife?"

Kurapika hesitated, but relented and removed the offending item away from Tocino's throat. After that, Tocino sat down on one of the armchairs.

"Judging by those chains, you must be a _manipulator_…" Tocino deduced. "Well, I hope you won't hold a grudge. I was just following orders from the boss; "Test them by trying to kill them." But I never expected you to pick up on me so fast. Well, the five of you should be able to escape together." – _Wait. Five? – _"Good luck."

"Five?" repeated the puzzled shorty.

"Is there another plant in the room?" asked the male brunette.

"Yeah," Nydia told the man. "There is one more infiltrator."

Nydia heard Kurapika heave a sigh and step towards Tocino. "I'll assume that was meant to be a diversion, but either way, it was a mistake. I'll determine if there are any other plants before we all start becoming paranoid." He held out his hand and allowed the iron ball to drop, holding out his hand in each of their individual directions. None them elicited any reaction from the iron ball, that is, until he reached the dark-skinned man. Even though there was no wind, the iron ball began to swing from side to side, garnering gasps from everyone. "There. You are the plant."

"T-That's ridiculous! What makes you say that?" the man sputtered defensively. "Your chain just started swinging."

"That is dowsing," informed a melodic voice and realisation dawned upon Nydia.

"Huh? What's that?"

"Dowsing was originally a technique used for locating water and metal underground," Nydia explained. "But it can also be used in divination."

The shorty with the melodic voice nodded in confirmation. "I've heard of the technique being employed as a lie detector."

"That still doesn't provide concrete proof that I'm a plant," argued the man.

"He's probably right," announced the melodic voice softly, the person whom the voice belonged to pointed at the guy's chest. "Your heart began to pound as soon as he pointed to you."

…What was with the people here and their extraordinary abilities? Nydia felt so normal and like she was like the odd one out. The guy took a step back, but the girl – yeah, she was able to finally identify them as a girl after hearing their voice – continued. "If you were innocent, your heart rate would've slowly increased due to the stress of being wrongly accused. But your heart beat immediately sped up before gradually slowing down; the typical melody of a liar…coming from both of you."

From beside Nydia, she heard the buff man crack his knuckles and say, "I'm convinced. Both of them accuse you; that's two of the remaining six."

"Wait! Hold on! That doesn't make it true. It's possible that four out of six are applicants and two are fakes."

"I can confirm that he" – _Wait. What?_ – "is not a plant," Kurapika announced, pointing his thumb at the _girl_.

"Excuse me, I think you meant 'she', not 'he'," the girl corrected. "And it appears that you are not a plant either."

"My point is that we can't trust you!" complained the guy with his rough voice. Ugh, the sound of his voice was grating against Nydia's ears and was starting to really piss her off. "You two could be working together." After seeing and hearing everybody's reaction to what he said, he coughed before continuing. "A-Anyway, this is a waste of time. We won't get anywhere by standing around."

"Hmph. No other choice then, I will have to settle this matter on my own," said the guy beside Nydia before bringing out a piece of calligraphy paper and a calligraphy brush. Then he began to write on the paper. Once he was done, he held up the paper for everyone to see and announced what it said. "_'Everything that comes in contact with my fist will completely burn.'_"

"Huh?" exclaimed everybody including Nydia.

"This is my special power! Great Haikuist!" the guy said with vigour. To indicate that he was being serious, he clutched the script in his hands and demonstrated his ability by punching an innocent chair which promptly burst into flames. _'…Your sacrifice was not in vain._'

"Damn it all to hell. It didn't burn very well. Well, that was a failure," he mumbled. "That was haiku, the prized literary art of my homeland. When I read a haiku, it happens. There's your explanation; now back to the subject at hand." In the background whilst he was explaining everything were whimpers of fright.

Getting another sheet of calligraphy paper out, he began writing on it before showing the guy we were currently accusing of being a plant.

"_'Anybody who responds untruthfully to my questions will be burned.'_ In other words, liars will burn in hell." The dark-skinned guy gulped nervously, shaking all the while. It was pretty obvious now that he was the plant, but Nydia thought the pompadour guy was just playing around with him now. "So here's the question. Are you a plant?" he asked Kurapika.

The boy in question replied, "No."

The man turned to the next person, the short girl with the melodic voice. "What about you?"

"I am not."

"How about you?" he questioned, facing in Nydia's direction. She shook your head. He moved onto the next person. "And you?" he asked the pink-haired lady.

"No."

"Are you a plant?" he asked Tonico.

"Yeah, that's right."

He turned to the last guy. "Please think carefully before answering. Are you a plant? Give me your answer!"

Feeling the pressure, the guy finally gave up. "My answer is yes." He walked over to a couch and plopped down. "Impressive. I'll reward you with some information. My name is Squala. I don't have an official license, but I'm a hunter with _manipulator_ skills," he claimed with a smirk. "I used my _manipulator_ skills to instruct something to follow a certain order. You managed to unmask me, but that doesn't mean you'll escape alive…"

As he was speaking, the pink haired-lady passed in front of you and asked, "What was the something, and what was the order?"

"Hah! This wouldn't be much of a test if I told you," he responded. "Fool. Hmph. Even if you tortured me, I won't talk."

The woman then tapped the guy's shoulder which got his attention and kissed him. _'W-what? What's she doing?!'_ The guy blushed and the next time he opened his eyes, hearts had replaced them. _'Oh God…Don't tell me she did that to the old butler too? Ugh…that's just gross…'_

The act had left everyone stunned with their mouth hanging open. She backed away and licked her lips in a somewhat seductive manner and stated, "This is my power, Instant Lover. I'm also a _manipulator_. Anyone I kiss becomes my slave."

"M-M-Mistress!" panted the dark-skinned guy pathetically. A coating of purple _nen_ surrounded him. He stuck his tongue out like a dog and Nydia thought, _'This must be what they mean by a "love struck puppy".'_

The lady then took a step forward and smashed her heeled boots on his face. "Take that, and that, and that, and that, and that!"

"More!" the guy yelped – Nydia was seriously considering him to be a masochist now – as he was being trampled upon. "Please step on me more!"

Nydia knew she shouldn't be feeling like this, but it was pretty amusing to watch.

"Now, answer my question!" the lady demanded. "What did you use your _nen_ on, and what was your command? Answer me! If you don't answer me, I'll stop treading on you!" _'Man, that's some twisted logic.'_

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" he wailed. _'…It actually worked?!'_ "I'm just a l-lowly dog trainer. I used my _nen_ on the dogs that run around the mansion." – _How could he?!_ – "For example, the Maltese were told to nip at a target's feet to slow them down; that's when the St. Bernard is to use its large body to smother the target. At the same time, the Dobermans will rush in and finish the target off."

Nydia were disgusted with how he got dogs – or any animal for that matter – to do his dirty work, being an animal lover. Beside her, Damon growled as though he understood what the man was saying. The man continued to speak. "If the target still escaped, the bulldogs will-"

By that time she couldn't stand it anymore and decided to sic Damon – who was still in his enhanced mode – on the guy. He yelped as he fell to the floor, finally snapping out of the woman's control, with Damon pressing down on him threateningly. Everyone turned to look at Nydia as they knew the husky was hers. "Ah, sorry, I couldn't stand to hear him talking about it anymore," she apologized. Then Nydia turned to the man pinned to the floor with a glare. "That's enough. Release them from your _nen_."

"Understood!" the man cried; with that done, everyone was now able to freely leave the mansion. When they exited the entrance, the dogs growled lowly, but kept to the side, allowing the guys to leave without harm.

"So the dog-tamer has been reduced to a pet, huh?" the pompadour guy – Nydia seriously needed to learn everyone's name, she couldn't continue calling them 'pompadour guy', 'pink-haired lady' and 'shorty' forever – commented.

"Don't say that!" the female who had 'reduced the dog-tamer to a pet' objected. "I only did it to make him talk. If I wanted a pet, I'd be pickier."

"Oh, that reminds me, I never caught your names. I'm Basho," pompadour guy remarked. "As you can see, I'm a _conjurer_."

"I'm Baise," said the pink-haired lady.

"Senritsu," injected the shorty.

"It appears you can hear heartbeats. What category do you fall into?" Basho asked Senritu.

Senritsu only replied with a mysterious smile and an enigmatic, "Well, I'm sure you'll find out soon."

"Tch. Playing coy, huh?" Basho looked over at Nydia. "What about you?"

She hummed. "I'm Nydia, an _enhancer_." Beside her, she heard a whine and felt a nudge. "And this is my friend, Damon."

Senritsu hummed and turned to Kurapika. "And you?"

Kurapika stared ahead, no reaction coming from him at all, but Senritsu pushed on. "I'd like to know your name, can you tell us?"

"I refuse," Kurapika stated bluntly. "We don't know if we'll be working together."

As he said that, Nydia saw him glance at her from the corner of his eyes with a certain gleam in them. She closed her eyes and smiled in understanding. If he didn't want his name to be known, then she wouldn't tell them.

"Yeah, that's true," Nydia heard Basho say. "We cleared the first test and escaped the mansion, but the real test has just begun."

"We must locate one of the designated items and bring it back, or else we won't get the job," Baise reminded.

"If we're all interested in this job, we're bound to run into one another again," Basho commented. No one replied. Everyone knew he was right. It wasn't until they had all stood outside the manor that Basho spoke up again. "Well, we'll now be going our separate ways."

Everybody nodded in agreement and silently began to part ways until all that the only people left were Nydia and Kurapika…and Damon.

"E-eto…" Nydia began, trying to break the silence. He didn't even look at her. His emotionless front sparked annoyance inside her and she huffed in irritation at how he didn't even spare her a glance. "Excuse me," she tried again. Once again, no reaction. An anger mark appeared. "Kurapika."

This time he looked at her. _'Finally.'_ "What?"

It took Nydia a second to remember what she had wanted to say. "Um…Is it possible for me to…" she mumbled, rubbing her knees together and twiddling her thumbs with a blush rising on her face.

"…" he didn't say anything as he waited for her to say something that was comprehensible.

Gathering her courage, Nydia quickly asked in one breath, "Isitpossibleformetocomewithyou?"

* * *

"Isitpossibleformetocomewithyou?" Kurapika heard Nydia say. Despite speaking so fast, he was still able to make out what she had said.

"No," he replied curtly. "This is an individual assignment."

As he said that he could see her holding back tears, and it took him aback. _'Really, what is a girl like her doing in this sort of trade?'_ Feeling slightly guilty, he asked, "You should know this, so why?"

Nydia bit her lips and chewed on them. "It's just that I don't like working alone. Our possible employer is looking to hire _bodyguards_; that's the reason I applied for the job; aside from the money."

Kurapika stared at the girl. How she made it this far was a mystery to him. Seeing as how brutally honest she was – she was pretty easy to read. She should fix that – he contemplated on whether or not he should. There was a possible chance for them to become co-workers, and by doing this, they could practice teamwork. Not to mention, he still didn't really know much about her _nen_ ability. From what he saw, he knew that she could harden weapons and make creatures grow larger and enhance their abilities to far more than they are capable of, but that was it. There was a possibility that she could come in handy for his cause, though he doubted it. What could a girl like this possibly do against the _Phantom Troupe_?

What made him finally relent though was the look on her face; it was so desperate. He couldn't possibly make a girl cry too; it would make his mother roll in her grave.

"…Fine."

He was sure he made the right decision when he saw her smile.

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**_'_****_The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.' – Carl Gustav Jung_**


	2. Chapter 2: Retrieving X Actress' X Hair

**Driving Out The Darkness**

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**A/N:** ...No one's reviewed yet/pout...It's okay, I only want reviews to know if this story's any good or not, but it was only one chapter. Those who favourited and followed, thanks~

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**Disclaimer: **Hunter X Hunter belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro

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**_'Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.' – Martin Luther King Jr._**

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**Chapter 2: Retrieving X Actress' X Hair**

Nydia started to fall a step behind the blond Kurata and strained to keep up. He took big strides and she cursed his long legs behind his back with a pout. Damn all the people with long legs; it was unfair how she had shorter legs than him. Not wanting to feel inferior, she sped up her pace. Although she couldn't take steps as large as his, she could certainly walk faster. Beside her, Damon easily matched his own pace with hers.

Beside her, Nydia could tell Kurapika was arching a brow at her behaviour, but she didn't care…not really. His stare was starting to make her feel self-conscious. She knew she was acting immature, but she couldn't help it. Nydia's height was a sensitive spot and he was pushing that button without even knowing it. The walk was silent, with Kurapika deep in thought and Nydia peering curiously at the nature that surrounded her; she were quite an environmentalist and enjoyed nature. When she was younger she had often imagined what it would be like to live one with nature and she would often escape to the forest close to her home and put on the pretence that she really did live like that.

But she was starting to grow uncomfortable with the silence and Damon nudged her, sensing her discomfort. Nydia was the type of person who couldn't sit still, so she wanted the silence broken. Because of that, she asked a question – one of the hundreds that she had conjured during the walk – that had been lingering in her head.

"So…Kurapika-kun, what item are we going to retrieve?" Nydia asked him casually. She put on the outward appearance of a calm person, but on the inside she was a nervous wreck. Kurapika was the type of person she didn't do well with, he was the unresponsive type that made her feel awkward and inferior, something that didn't sit well with her.

The Kurata didn't even look at Nydia when he responded; he kept his eyes looking straight ahead. "Well I'm going to retrieve the lock of the famous actor, Sara," he informed blandly. "You?"

Nydia pondered back to the items on the list. She knew she definitely wouldn't be going after the eyeballs of a Kurata. She also crossed out the lock of Sara's hair since she didn't want to leave the impression of using Kurapika. There was what seemed like a unicorn's skull, but she wasn't exactly sure as to where that could be found. Nydia didn't want to get the right arm of an Egyptian mummy from its tomb either; it was disrespecting the dead. That left the scaly skin of a person diagnosed with ichthyosis. "I plan on getting an ichthyosis patient's scaly skin."

He nodded slightly in affirmation and the silence descended once again. Nydia shifted around and fiddled with her fingers, not really sure what to do. She was jumpy and right now, nothing was satisfying her need to do something, anything would do – she just needed something. Boredom was starting to seep in, leaving her a little bundle of energy. Nydia started to stare off to the side and imagining a wild, ferocious, beast jumping out, or the bushes rustling and her chasing after it in curiosity.

"Stop that," She heard a masculine voice from beside her order. Nydia swerved around and faced the Kuruta in confusion. "Stop what?"

"Whatever you're doing, it's annoying," Nydia huffed indignantly. Who was he to tell her what to do? Perhaps she chose the wrong person, but he seemed like a good guy; he was nicer to her earlier. Nydia pondered on that thought for a moment. What exactly did happen to cause him to treat her this cruelly now?

"Hey, Kurapika-kun, did I do anything wrong?" She asked with a deflated tone. Nydia didn't like not knowing what she did wrong, and wanted to rectify what she was doing or reconcile with him. Sensing his mistresses' distress, Damon growled lowly at the Kuruta. Kurapika let out a heavy sigh. "No, it's just that we're supposed to be competing with one another right now as we all want the job."

She blinked. Oh, so that was what he was going on about. Nydia thought he had something wrong with her personally. Relief flooded through her system once she found out that there was nothing wrong with her at all. As Nydia were off in her own world reassured that she had no problem, the blonde beside her coughed to get her attention – something which he got from Nydia instantly.

"We need a plan," he stated. Nydia stood there and after a moment gave him a pointed look that screamed, 'of course we need a plan!' A tinge of pink formed on his cheek but was quickly washed away with his next cough. "Okay, so my item is located in 'The National Performing Arts Museum of Yorubian' in the 'Famous Actors and Actresses' section, so we'll have to do a break-in in order to retrieve it."

At the information presented to her, Nydia cringed. If she and Kurapika were found and caught, they'd both be sent to jail – or worse; Sara was a very famous and popular actress, her fans would kill them both for doing what they were currently planning. Another scenario that popped into Nydia's mind was Kurapika using her as a scapegoat, but she quickly shook that idea out of her head. He wouldn't do that…would he? She discreetly pinched herself – hoping that Kurapika wouldn't notice – to get rid of those negative thoughts. Nydia nodded to signal that she was following him and he continued.

"We'll be leaving late into the night and very early in the morning," he informed her. Then, he glanced at Nydia with a hard look in his eyes that sent a shiver up her spine. "Do not screw up."

Nydia gulped at his cold and harsh tone. God, he really knew how to pressure people; she felt like crawling into a hole and dying right now. Now she was really self-conscious and felt like making a mistake was going to become reality. As Nydia was fidgeting nervously, Kurapika faced the sky with a calculating look.

* * *

The darkness was on her side; Nydia knew that, but the nervousness bubbling within her still could not be restrained. She started fidgeting to hide the shaking off her fingers and shifted the position of her legs often to conceal their trembling and preventing herself from sinking to the ground.

"You're going to give us away," she heard a masculine voice breathe into her ear. Nydia almost jumped, but she was able to suppress the urge to. A flush spread over her cheeks at the feeling of Kurapika's hot breath against her ear. It was a sensitive spot.

"O-oh," Nydia stuttered, and her fiddling instantly came to a stop. Instead, her quivering hands rested on her cheeks which were still glowing from Kurapika's heated breath. The cold radiating off was a relief for the burn on her face and she could feel her heartbeat slowing down to a calm pulsating beat. God, Nydia swore that the Kurata would be the death of her, with his cold demeanour and random acts all the time.

"Should we really do it this way?" Nydia asked the blonde teen quietly. She was beginning to doubt whether she should be doing this or not as she was committing an illegal offence. Nydia wasn't sure where she had worked up the courage to ask him from since she was so afraid of incurring his wrath. He was a good fighter, Nydia could see from the time in the mansion, and she could tell that she was no match against him.

"Unless you would rather dig up her grave and retrieve the item, be my guest," Kurapika returned sharply with sarcasm. The accusing way he looked at her made Nydia feel self-conscious and like an idiot. At a loss for words, she turned her head away from him and pouted.

"…You didn't have to be so mean about it…" she mumbled incoherently.

There was no indication as to whether or not he heard her, but Nydia was relieved if he didn't. Kurapika strode forward and surveyed the open, examining whether there was anyone who would catch them red-handed in the act. Seeing as the coast was clear, he signalled to Nydia that it was and gestured for her to follow him which she did so soundlessly; Nydia didn't want to anger him any further than she already has.

It was actually relatively easy to break in – probably because Nydia had Kurapika, and because they both possessed _nen_. Still, she had to be careful, she didn't want to get in trouble with the law, that was something that even _nen_ or Kurapika could get her out of.

The sound of footsteps echoed off the marble tiles and ricocheted off the empty halls of the national building despite how discreet Nydia was being. How dark the place was and the size of it intimidated her and she shrunk behind Kurapika. She clutched the back of the Kuruta's garment tightly in her hands and glanced around timidly, feeding her _nen_ to her ears to enhance her hearing. Nydia also send a surge of _nen_ to her eyes to make her sight sharper, and suddenly everything was so much clearer. She swung her head from side to side, taking in the sight of props used in famous movies and possessions that belonged to deceased celebrities. She grew excited when she recognised a few and let out a gasp when she saw a display from one of her favourite all-time movies. Nydia let go of Kurapika and instead pressed herself against the display, gazing over it in awe; but in the process, made a clamour of noise.

"…Oops?" she mumbled weakly, avoiding the Kuruta's gaze. Nydia heard a huff of indignation from in front of her and was beginning to look up when her feet were swept from underneath her. A squeak escaped Nydia's lips and she clung to the closest thing – Kurapika's neck. As soon as she realised her position, Nydia loosened her hold on him, but not completely, fearing that she would lose her balance, even though Kurapika was carrying her, and tumble to the ground. She sent her partner a quizzical look to which he responded with a simple, "You were making too much noise."

Nydia blushed and hoped that under the dim lighting, he wouldn't be able to notice it. Due to his reasoning as to why he was carrying her bridal style, she were so much keener on sound than earlier and she detected than her companion made little to no noise, only those who were really listening for it could hear it. Beside him, Nydia noticed how much of an amateur she was.

After he swept her off her feet, Nydia zipped her lips and was determined to remain mute for the rest of the operation. She shifted into a comfortable, yet alert, position, ready if they came across an obstacle that they needed to engage.

They both soon came across an exhibition with a gold-leafed plate announcing, 'Famous Actors and Actresses'. '_Bingo!'_ Nydia thought as Kurapika allowed her to slide to the carpeted floor as on it, the sound of footsteps would be muffled.

In the centre of the room was the object of Kurapika's desire, the lock of Sara's hair.

…Too bad there were protective layers of lasers guarding it. Nydia knew it wouldn't be so easy. She remembered watching Sara's movies when she was younger and being amazed by her skills, wanting to be an aspiring actress at one stage in her life before; a phase that every young girl seemed to go through. Just as Kurapika advanced forward to proceed to retrieve the item, Nydia's ears perked up and she urgently tugged him behind another display case; just in time for a blinding light to illuminate the room. In her rush, she had landed awkwardly on top of Kurapika with her hand covering his mouth to stifle any sound he would make. With her enhanced hearing, she could hear the security guard pace into the room due to the rustling of clothing and she pressed closer to the blonde, anxious by the possible outcome if the guard took further steps.

It seemed that lady's luck was on her side when the guard grumbled, "Guess it was only my imagination…" under his breath and went on his way. After several minutes had passed, Nydia let out a huge breath she was holding unconsciously and heaved herself off Kurapika.

"I guess we'll have to be more careful now, we were almost caught," Nydia whispered. Kurapika lifted himself off the floor and brushed himself off. She sent him an apologetic glance which he dismissed. She glowered at his reaction, but when he passed her, she heard a muttered, "Thanks."

She didn't know why, but his small symbol of gratitude made her heart swell and put her into a good mood.

While Kurapika attempted once again to reach his assigned item, Nydia was on the lookout for any disturbances that may hinder their operation. Before she knew it though, Kurapika was behind her and tapping her shoulder to signify he was done. Nydia nodded in acknowledgement and watched as he stashed the lock of hair in a small encasement and smoothly slid it into his pant pocket. Nydia was amused by the irony of the lock of hair's treatment. Before it was treated like a treasure, but in Kurapika's hands, it wasn't as valued as much. To him, it was only an object that would help achieve his goal.

Leaving the building was significantly faster than entering. When they were about to reach the exit, Nydia heard it again. She quickly pulled Kurapika to a stop and sent him a desperate eye message which he caught onto instantly. She dove to the side where a statue that was used in a popular movie in the past was placed and froze. On the other side of the room, Nydia could see Kurapika doing the same, only with a pillar. The sound of the guard's footsteps reverberated and she followed the sound closely.

She considered herself unlucky; lady luck betraying and abandoning Nydia when she distinguished that the guard was making his way towards her. She was tempted to swear under her breath, but with how everything seemed to resonate in the building, she decided against it. Nydia gulped nervously when he was just about to reach her and made an impulsive decision. She swiftly swerved around the statue and came up behind the guard who began to turn around – but not in time. With her superior reaction timing, she was able to knock the pressure point on his neck and render him unconscious. He dropped ungracefully to the floor like a marionette which had its strings severed. Nydia stood above him victoriously, breathing heavily from the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

Kurapika emerged from his hiding spot and she focused on him.

"We should get out of here."

She couldn't agree more.

* * *

**_'Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.' – Helen Keller_**


	3. Chapter 3: Attempting X Another X Break

**Driving Out The Darkness**

* * *

**A/N:**I finally finished a new chapter :DDDD I'm glad people like Nydia . She gets nervous and embarrassed easily, and she's only ever serious when the situation calls for it. She's quiet at first, but when you get to know her, she's really childish and curious, and gets side-tracked easily XD Welp, enjoy the chapter, Killua makes a brief appearance~~~

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**Disclaimer:** Hunter X Hunter belongs to its rightful owner, Togashi Yoshihiro.

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**_'Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.' – Martin Luther King Jr._**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Attempting X Another X Break-in**

* * *

A laugh escaped Nydia's lips when she had bothered to buy the day's newspaper. Her late night rendezvous with Kurapika had been put on the headlines.

"Hey, Kurapika, we're famous!" she giggled, shoving the daily news in his face. All traces of what she had felt last night was gone and was replaced with finding the situation last night humorous. The Kuruta pushed the offending papers out of his face in a frustrated manner.

"Sure, but this means that there's a chance we might be found," he grumbled. This instantly dampened her mood and Nydia didn't notice he had said something until she caught him staring at her expectantly.

She blinked. "Pardon?"

He sighed – he had been doing that quite a lot around her lately – and repeated what he said. "I need to verify whether or not this is actually Sara's lock of hair, but if I were to do that, people would know it was me." A thoughtful look settled on his face, but after a minute, a flicker of another emotion crossed his face and Nydia sent him a puzzled look.

"I've got a friend who can probably help with this," he informed her, drawing his phone out from his pocket. While he punched in a number, she was staring at him in surprise. He had friends? Nydia's gaze on him intensified and she went over her opinion of him. From what she had gathered, Nydia imagined that his friends were probably similar to him in personality. She enhanced her hearing – she usually didn't eavesdrop, but this was a special case – and waited patiently for his friend to pick to see what he was like. He finally did.

"Yo, Kurapika, what's up?" Nydia heard a preteen boy voice answer. She was surprised. She didn't expect him to be friendly with children, especially one that had a mischievous tone to his voice. The wondering of how this young boy could help flickered momentarily through her head, but was cut when Kurapika spoke again.

"Ah, Killua, it's been a while, hasn't it?" responded Kurapika. A brief smile flittered across his face and surprised Nydia further before dissipating. Internally, she wondered what their relationship was like as it was enough to put a smile on his face. '_He looks so much better smiling…'_

"Yeah," she heard 'Killua' reply. Nydia distantly heard a sigh before the boy on the other side of the line continued. "So…you wouldn't call randomly. What do you need?"

Kurapika's eyes closed as if it was expected for his friend to notice. When his eyes reopened, a serious look took over the casual one he had on earlier. He opened his mouth to speak and Nydia noticed how his tone had changed too. "I need you to verify something for me. I have a lock of hair from a famous actress – don't ask for the details as to why – and I need to know if it really is hers or not. I'll send you a sample strand of hair; the address of where I'm staying at should be present on the parcel, so you shouldn't have any problem with sending the results back. I'm assuming you've heard of Sara?"

"Mm, yeah, I have. I have a contact that should be able to do what you need."

"Thanks."

And with that, the call ended. Kurapika glanced over to Nydia only to meet her own gaze boring into him. He blinked. After a couple of seconds, she ceased her staring.

"I didn't take you to be one who had preteen friends," she commented, finally breaking the silence that had insured along with the staring.

"We took the Hunter Exam together with several others. I guess he kind of grew on me," Kurapika informed her with a shrug. Nydia hummed before questioning what the two of them were going to do now.

"Well, we won't be doing much until I retrieve the results from the DNA test," answered Kurapika, going over to the bedside table of the rented room in the hotel which the two of them were currently residing and took out the sample of Sara's hair. He carefully separated a strand from the rest and placed it in a clear plastic pocket and sealing it before wrapping it up and proceeding to stick a label of where it should be sent to. Nydia glimpsed the words 'Heavens Arena' before Kurapika pocketed the package. "When we do, we'll go get your item."

Nydia nodded in acknowledgment and watched as Kurapika trailed towards the door and opened it. He glanced back once saying, "I'm going out for a while, stay here and keep watch."

* * *

It took around a week for the results to come in. During that time, Nydia had been lazing around, doing nothing productive and playing around with Damon until Kurapika had asked her where she was going to obtain her item. Because of that, she finally got off her ass – albeit reluctantly – and started doing research as to where she might find an ichthyosis patient's scaly skin.

Nydia was trudging back to the hotel with Damon at her heels and checking back in when the lady behind the counter in the reception hall notified that a letter addressed for her partner had arrived. That seemed to revitalise her and she thanked the lady before making her way back to the room quickly.

"Kurapika! The results are in!" Nydia exclaimed, Damon barking to ensure that she had the Kurata's attention, after slamming the door open when she had rammed her copy of the key for the room into the keyhole and unlocked the door. Kurapika looked up from the book he was reading and put it down before making his way over to her. He opened the letter and scanned through the contents and a subtle smug, satisfied look appeared on his face. Nydia glanced curiously at him and tried to read what was printed on the paper but was unsuccessful. While she was pouting at her failed attempt to read – curse him and his height – he looked up and informed her of the results. "It's positive."

* * *

After the excitement of retrieving an item on the list – even though it wasn't the one she was aiming for – Kurapika abruptly dropped the bombshell that it was time for Nydia to get her item or else the month would be up before she retrieved her item. They had both spent almost two weeks on Kurapika's item, so that left around two weeks for Nydia to complete her assignment.

During your outings to discover information on her item, Nydia found out that there was research going on in a hospital close to the area where they staying to her luck. They were focusing on Harlequin-type ichthyosis, and because of that, she ended up reading about the skin disease. She found out that it was hereditary and that those born with it usually died within a few days, but their lifespan has been gradually increasing with the help of drugs, but the general lifespan of those suffering from it was still undetermined.

Guilt ate at Nydia when she and Kurapika went to retrieve her item – once again in the dead of the night and without Damon again. Kurapika was paranoid that Damon might give them both away. "Of course he wouldn't!" she had told the Kuruta with an affirmative bark from her dog, but he remained stubborn and refused to bring Damon along and she eventually gave in – because the item they were stealing could've been put into better use. She tried to push the feeling to the back of her head, after all, if she hesitated now she wouldn't become an employee of the Nostrade's. She also tried to cheer herself up by telling herself they had other samples, but that was working to no avail.

They both had to be very quiet; there were patients inside the hospital after all and it wouldn't do if they got caught. Everything was going fine and dandy until they reached the place where the experiments were held and test samples kept.

* * *

Nydia stared at the security lock in front of her with a dead-pan expression. She had completely forgotten about security measures. An intense stare from her side digging into her had her begin to sweat profusely. Never more had she ever wished that Damon was with her so he could nip Kurapika's heels and distract him from her current dilemma.

"…Nydia, don't tell me you forgot to consider security?" whispered Kurapika harshly. She gulped and shook her head quickly, though it was quite obvious she did. Even Kurapika wasn't convinced by her statement. Seeing how he gave her a dubious look, Nydia's face burned and she quickly put a hand to the security lock. She couldn't just destroy it or else alarms might start going off, but there was one technique at her disposal that could possibly help her and it was one that rarely even worked. Her ability did not work well with things that weren't organic.

"Kurapika, do you want me to get rid of the security lock?" Nydia asked him quietly to which he responded by giving her a funny look. She flushed again just after the blood rush to her cheeks had died down. "Just answer the question!" she huffed.

"…Yes?" he replied, a bit unsure as to what she was playing at. Feeling grateful that he finally responded and slightly guilty for her behaviour towards him, Nydia gave him a reassuring pat on the head which earned her another look from the blonde. She was pretty sure Kurapika thought she was eccentric or had a mental disorder or something by now.

Nydia closed her eyes and focused on the task at hand. _'Okay, all the conditions are fulfilled now._' She concentrated her _nen_ and diverted it down her arms, into her hands and guided it to the security lock. Soon a fizzling sound could be heard and smoke began rising from the device before the sound suddenly stopped and all the power in it went off. A click could be heard and when she pushed the handle on the door, it easily swung open.

"Oh would you look at that? The security lock overheated. We can go in now," Nydia chirped cheekily, acting as though it was some miraculous coincident. She was feeling especially joyful since her technique had decided to work for her this one time and helped her avoid embarrassing herself in front of Kurapika. Despite being in front of him, Nydia could tell that Kurapika was shaking his head at her antics.

"Why did you ask me that question anyway? It was totally unnecessary," questioned the Kurata. Nydia replied with a soft giggle and turned her head slightly to give him a side-view of her face. She lifted her index finger to her lips in a shushing action and informed him cryptically, "That's a secret~"

Then she stopped for a second and stood still with one hand behind her back and the other resting on her chin tilting her head up thoughtfully. "…On second thought, I might as well tell you, since we're probably going to end up working together."

This time, Nydia turned around fully and began walking backwards while explained to her companion, "It's one of the vows to my ability."

Hearing that, Kurapika raised a brow which she took as a sign to continue her explanation. "I can only use my ability when the people around me or I am in danger, or when I have the permission of someone else to use my ability."

Kurapika hummed to indicate that he heard her. "Why those conditions?"

"…Because I don't want to hurt others on a whim and out of my own selfishness."

Kurapika stopped in his tracks, an indecipherable expression on his face; but by the time he did that, Nydia had already turned around and didn't notice.

"It was one of the things I decided when I found out about _nen_. Such a powerful ability…should be used to protect others."

All was quiet and Nydia got worried when she didn't hear footsteps following her. She was about to turn around and ask what was wrong until she got side-tracked.

"Oh! There it is!"

She instantly rushed up to a table where a sample of Harlequin-type ichthyosis was encased in an encasing similar to what the Kuruta eyeballs on the data cards had been in, only larger. Despite, her excited behaviour, Nydia picked them up in a gentle manner which totally contradicted her earlier actions. She cradled it to her chest with a somewhat awed expression as though she couldn't believe she had actually acquired her item. Then Nydia spun around and gave Kurapika a giant grin and salute.

"I look forward to working with you partner!"

* * *

**_'It was often in small moments that significant things are revealed.' – Lisa Kleypas_**


	4. Chapter 4: To X Yorknew X City

**Driving Out The Darkness**

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**A/N: **Alas, I have completed the next chapter! I hope you enjoy~

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**Disclaimer: **Hunter X Hunter belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro

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**_'Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.' – Martin Luther King Jr._**

* * *

**Chapter 4: To X Yorknew X City**

"Now, show me what you've brought."

Nydia restrained from shuffling nervously as she returned to her spot after placing down her item on the desk of the Nostrade family's head bodyguard - and maybe her soon to be superior - Dalzolenne. Doing so may leave them doubting her credibility, and she didn't want that.

"The arm of an ichthyosis patient," Nydia said. Beside her, Kurapika went forth and placed his item down too.

"The hair of the famous actress, Sara, and a DNA test to validate authenticity."

Next, Basho went up and placed a box down, taking off the lid to reveal his item. "The right arm of an Egyptian mummy, taken directly from a pyramid."

Senritsu stepped forth and placed an item similar to Nydia's, and in her calm, melodic voice said, "The scaly skin of an ichthyosis patient."

Nydia froze as Dalzolenne eyed the her item and Senritsu's with a calculating gleam in his eyes. Oh no, was it because she brought the same item? After a couple seconds, her body relaxed as the tension fled when he hummed and said, "Next." The Nostrade family was probably collecting different types of ichthyosis if he did that, seeing as the one Nydia had brought was a different type to Senritsu's.

"The skull of a one-horned creature," Baise informed as she placed down her case displaying her item.

Dalzolenne gave the items a once-over before looking up with a smirk and said, "Okay, all five are you are hired."

Nydia suppressed the joy building up inside of her and had the gall to look humiliated when Senritsu gave her a side-long glance and amused smile. Senritsu must've heard her heartbeat speeding up.

"I'm Dalzolenne, the head bodyguard, it's a pleasure to meet you," Dalzolenne announced, standing up. Of course, Nydia already knew this, searching up the Nostrade family before applying to be one of their employees.

Nydia stood straighter when the man walked out from behind his desk speaking. "I'll need you to start working immediately."

She blinked. _'What? Already?'_ But even as she thought that, Nydia followed him as she saw Kurapika walking past her.

"Your mission is to escort the boss to a Yorknew City hotel room," Dalzolenne informed, standing in front of a screen that flashed on to display a map. Nydia eyed it curiously. "A private aircraft will take you to Lingon airport, just outside Yorknew." The man withdrew a retractable stick and pointed at the location of said airport before sliding it over to where the hotel was situated. "The trip between the airport and hotel takes approximately ninety minutes. A special car has been prepared."

Dalzolenne looked up from his explanation. "You five will be providing the outer ring of security. Any questions?"

"Do you know who may be targeting the boss?" Nydia heard Kurapika ask from beside her.

"That question isn't even worth an answer."

"What do you mean?"

"The boss is an important figure in the underworld," Dalzolenne replied, tapping the stick against his shoulder rhythmically. " There are plenty of people with reasons to hold grudges."

Ah, yes that was understandable. During her research, Nydia had found out that the Nostrade family was a minor family that was slowly rising in power and that even the 'Ten Don' sought out their help. She was surprised and puzzled when Kurapika spoke up again.

"Let me rephrase that since you didn't understand the first time," Kurapika said. "Regardless of grudges, do you know anyone who might actually commit to an attack?" The Kurata placed a firm hand down on the surface of the table screen, the chains on his right hand rattling upon impact and creating a clinking noise. "If we can identify a few candidates, we'll know their motives, styles, and circumstances, and we can prepare accordingly. That will facilitate in protecting the boss."

'Woah,' Nydia thought, watching the blonde with wide eyes and in a new light. She broken out of her stupor by Dalzolenne.

"You said that your name is Kurapika?" he asked, pushing the stick in his hands closed and levelling Kurapika with a frightening stare that chilled Nydia to her bones and caused her to tense. _'This is what a true mafioso looks like.'_ "You are the one who doesn't understand."

Kurapika returned the look head on defiantly, and that took guts.

"Our job is to protect the boss. No matter who, when, where or how they attack. That's all you need to know!

"Don't bother building a mental profile, if anything comes close, it's hostile," Dalzolenne said, crushing the stick in his hands. Silence followed his speech before it was broken.

"I have a question."

Dalzolenne's eyes flickered over to her and she bit her lips to prevent herself from doing anything stupid that might put her in a bad light like Kurapika did, or worse, get her fired. She herself was surprised when she had spoken up, but Nydia had been contemplating what both Kurapika and Dalzolenne had said. Both made a fair argument, she could understand where they were coming from, even if their opinions differed.

"What's the boss like?" she asked. Dalzolenne continued staring, and Nydia took it as a sign to continue speaking.

"What's their personality like? Do they have any specific quirks, habits, anything that we should know? It would be best to know beforehand so we can accommodate them and prevent them from compromising any dangerous situation we would encounter."

The head bodyguard gave her an appraising look before answering. "See for yourself, I'll be introducing you to the boss now. Come with me." As he turned with his hands shoved in his pockets and led the small group to a large oaken door which led to the hall, Nydia let let out a small inconceivable breath she had been holding before gathering herself and following after the group.

The hallway was vast and dimly lit. The walls were mostly bare with only a few paintings decorating them. Tiles covered the ground, causing all the footsteps in the hall to echo. All was silent except for that.

A small inhale of breath penetrated through the silence and caused everyone to halt as Baise said, "Excuse me, what is that?"

Everybody turned to look up to find a grotesque artwork featuring a blonde man trying to escape a dark grey substance framed by an elaborate bronze frame. Nydia shuddered involuntarily at the sight. She had do agree with Basho when he said, "It's a little too realistic."

"Yeah, that is an actual human being," Dalzolenne said casually, as though he was discussing the weather. Her head swivelled around to give him a look of bewilderment along with your new fellow employees. What?

"He was once a fellow bodyguard," he continued. "He ignored my advice and let himself be deceived by false information, placing not only the other bodyguards, but the boss in danger as well, so he was punished." Dalzolenne turned to face the front again. "You guys are replacing him."

She gulped.

"Let's go."

* * *

"Boss, I've brought the new bodyguards!"

A large white marble door with golden handles opened up to reveal a young, pretty maiden in a dark purple yukata and violet hair with matching eyes. With one look at Dalzolenne, she opened the door further to allow your small group in with a bow. "Please, enter."

The room inside was overwhelming. A chandelier lit the room and cast shadows upon the rows of lilac curtains drawn to the side and plush red carpet lined with gold embellishments that laid on the marble floor, leading to your destination.

At the other end of the room, another attendant stood placidly beside steps that led to a young blunette girl with cyan eyes sitting on a large soft bed surrounded by an abundance of various toys.

"This is the boss, Neon-sama."

Everybody stopped and gasped. Nydia gazed at the teenage girl who seemed to be around her age, if not slightly older. This was her new boss?! But she was so young! _'And I thought it'd be a guy...'_

"Nice to meet you, everyone~" Neon greeted with a wide smile.

* * *

"Oh my god, she's so young!" Nydia exclaimed as she stood in front of the door between Baise and Basho. they were all now aboard the airship heading for Lingon Airport. "She's around my age and already a boss!"

Basho nodded in agreement. "I was pretty surprised when we met the boss too."

"No kidding..." Baise murmured. "They call her an important figure in the underworld, so I was expecting someone intimidating. In the end, she turned out to be a cute little girl."

"Ah, you wouldn't want her to hear that," Nydia said mischievously.

Baise raised a brow. "Why's that?"

"That'll hurt her image of being a fearsome mafia boss."

The older woman beside Nydia rolled her eyes and shook her head hopelessly at the brunette's behaviour.

Just as Nydia was about to continue discussing their new boss - no, not gossiping. She would never dare to gossip about her employer - there was a knock on the door behind her. Opening the door into a slight gap cautiously, Nydia peeked out and was greeted by the face of a male flight attendant.

"Yes? How may I help you?" she asked politely.

"The airship will be landing soon," he informed.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." He bowed and left. The door shut with a click behind her.

"Well then, I better inform the Ojou-sama of the situation," Nydia declared, skipping forward to the corner where Senritsu and Kurapika were situated.

"Doing well, my fellow comrades," she greeted, tilting an imaginary hat. Kurapika stared at her, unimpressed. To her other side, Senritsu let out a small giggle and a broad grin lit up on Nydia's face. At least one of these two didn't have a stick up their butt and had a sense of humour. Nydia swore the blonde didn't have a single funny bone in his whole entire body.

Passing the two, Nydia soon reached Ivlenkov and Squala and gave them a nod to which they returned. She raised a hand and knocked on the large brown double door.

"Enter."

Pressing down on the brass handle, Nydia pushed the door open to find an elaborate room filled with plush carpets, seats and pillows. Across from her stood a half-turned Dalzolenne who was watching her and to her left stood another fellow bodyguard by the name of Linssen. Further up to Nydia's left sat Neon who was being attended to by her two personal maids.

"Hmm? Ah, Nydia, what is it?" Neon asked the smaller girl cutely with a tilt of her head after taking a sip of tea from her porcelain teacup. God, Nydia couldn't see this girl as her boss, she just didn't act like one. But then again, appearances can be deceiving.

"We'll be landing soon, boss."

"Oh, is that so? Thank you." With a nod, Nydia took that to be her dismissal.

* * *

Five white cars were waiting when the airship landed. Nydia and her fellow bodyguards left the airship first and surrounded the cars, surveying the area for any suspicious activity. There were none. With an affirmative not to everyone which was then relayed to Dalzolenne, Neon descended the stair with led from the airship to the ground with Dalzolenne right behind her and entered the third car which was held open by Linssen. After it was assured that Neon had gotten in safely and there was no danger around, everybody else bundled up into the remaining cars and left the airstrip.

Nydia ended up in a car together with all of the bodyguards hired together with you. All was silent, so of course, Nydia being Nydia, she had to break the silence. The absence of noise didn't sit well with her.

"Ne, ne, I heard that Neon-sama is an incredibly gifted fortune teller," she said, leaning forward and holding the back of the two front seats in an attempt to start up a conversation.

"Yeah, I heard that too," the petite girl heard Basho say from the driver's seat. "Thanks to her father's connections, she has made a lot of clients that hold important positions in the underworld."

"Like the 'Ten Don', right?"

"Yeah."

"No, it's the other way around," Kurapika said, catching all of their attention.

"Other way around?" Basho repeated, glancing at the Kurata from the corner of his eyes.

Without looking back, Kurapika said, "I'd say the father has used his daughter to increase his standing in the underworld. That's why he's afraid of losing her. He's afraid that his enemies might strike back at his daughter."

Nydia stared at Kurapika, feeling that the mood had gotten sour with his words and pouted. He was such a party-pooper. Because of him, the conversation decidedly took a turn for the worst. In retaliation, the girl poked his cheek, earning a twitch and irritated glance from him. She smiled brightly in response.

Sitting back in her seat, there was one goal that Nydia was determined to accomplish during your time in Yorknew City.

She was going to make Kurapika smile.

* * *

**_'Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.' - Brain Littrell_**


End file.
